“Thanks, cook and steward,” added the passenger. “Do you happen to know which is the captain’s stateroom?” “Of course I know, which it is the room where the lady is,” replied Bickling; “which it was his name.” “Is that ham all you have for dinner, cook?” inquired Louis, in order to change the subject. “Which it is all I have; but I did not know that all your party were to lunch off it first. For a gentleman as treats me so ’andsomely, I will cook a beefsteak, or some ’am and heggs.” “I have already dined, and I don’t wish for anything more.” Louis thought he heard his mother moving in her room, and he softly opened the door. She was sitting up in her berth, and wanted to know if it were possible to obtain a cup of tea. He assured her she should have it, and asked the cook for it. He had made his peace with Bickling, who hastened to the galley to make it. He returned to the room and seated himself in front of the berth. CHAPTER X A SKIRMISH WITH LIGHT WORDS “This is Captain Scoble’s stateroom, mother,” said Louis, as he seated himself. “Then I must move,” she added. “No, you shall not move, mother; there is another room in the cabin, and he may sleep there, for I will not permit you to be turned out of this one,” replied Louis, as he began to make a careful survey of his surroundings. “You talk as though you were the captain, my son. Do not quarrel with Scoble if you can help it,” she pleaded. “I will not; but I shall not submit, or bow my head to him.” Louis had not asked for the captain’s room without a purpose, which he was now carrying out. Under the berth he saw a trunk; he drew it out and opened it. He found nothing but a thin package of letters which he cared to possess, and he slid it into his pocket. “What are you doing, Louis?” asked Mrs. Belgrave, whose attention had been attracted to his operations. “Preparing for the future, mother; nothing more. But don’t ask me any questions. Scoble must soon come down into the cabin, and I wish to be prepared for him.” She said nothing more, though she watched him closely till they were disturbed by a knock at the door. It was Bickling with the tea, which Louis handed to his mother, and closed the door. While she was drinking the contents of the cup, her son busied himself in ransacking a case of drawers in front of the berth. In one of them he found two revolvers of twice the size of the one he carried, and two boxes of cartridges. He took possession of these, and closed the drawer from which he had taken them. “Do you think it is right for you to look into the drawers of other people, Louis?” asked Mrs. Belgrave, as she finished drinking her tea.